The present invention generally relates to electronic monitoring systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a transceiver tag in a monitoring system.
Electronic monitoring systems for remote monitoring and supervising of moving objects, and in particular for monitoring persons are employed in a variety of fields, including security, law enforcement, medical and more. A typical monitoring system comprises a plurality of portable transmitting devices associated with monitored persons or monitored objects. The portable transmitting devices are also known as “tags”. Typical monitoring systems also include one or more fixed or mobile local monitoring units and a central monitoring station where the information received by the local monitoring units is collected and further processed.
When used for monitoring persons, in a house arrest environment, for example, the portable tag is usually strapped around a limb of the person being monitored and typically includes a sensor for sensing tampering with the tag. Tags periodically send signals, including the tag's identification code, to be received by an external receiver with which the tag is engaged, in a local monitoring unit. The signals may be processed and reported to the central monitoring station.
In some cases, the monitoring person is allowed to be in several locations. For example, the monitored person may be allowed to exit the house and go to his or her work place. In such cases, the portable tag may disengage from the receiver of the house arrest environment and may engage with a receiver that is close to or in the work place. In some cases, the tag may be temporary engaged with one or more receivers on the way to work. The engagement process may comprise authentication and may also comprise methods for initializing an encrypting process between the tag and the external receiver. There are efforts to minimize the portable tag. Such efforts entail the minimization of the battery of the tag so as to conserve on battery use.